PHP Developer — United States

About The Company

Cloud First Inc. is a Los Angeles-based technology company that has grown alongside its customers, expanding from a single room into a trusted technology partner for organizations across California. We build and support technology services with a focus on practical results, reliable systems, and long-term customer relationships. Our teams value thoughtful engineering, open collaboration, and continuous learning.

New team members are encouraged to contribute to meaningful work early in their tenure. You will have opportunities to learn by doing, work with experienced colleagues, and take ownership of projects that support real products and services. We aim to create an environment where ideas can be discussed openly and improvements can move from proposal to implementation.

About The Role

Cloud First Inc. is seeking a PHP Developer to join our team in Los Angeles, California. The compensation range for this position is $142,000 to $208,000, depending on relevant experience, skills, and qualifications. This role is suited to a hands-on developer who enjoys solving complex problems, improving system architecture, and delivering dependable technology.

You will work across services and collaborate with colleagues whose experience may include PHP, Flask, GraphQL, Spring Boot, and Kotlin. The position calls for curiosity and sound technical judgment: you will investigate issues, assess existing patterns, recommend improvements, and help turn sound designs into working systems. You will also monitor service performance and share clear, useful updates with stakeholders.

This is an opportunity to contribute to technology decisions, build your skills through mentorship, and take on increasing responsibility. Candidates should be familiar with the Los Angeles technology market and able to work effectively with colleagues across functions.

Qualifications

We are looking for a developer with professional experience building, maintaining, or supporting software applications, including PHP development. You should be comfortable investigating unfamiliar code, reading logs and stack traces, and tracing defects to their underlying causes rather than relying on surface-level fixes.

Strong candidates bring an understanding of software architecture and can explain the reasoning behind technical choices. Experience with or familiarity with frameworks and technologies such as Flask, GraphQL, Spring Boot, or Kotlin is valuable, as is the ability to learn tools beyond your primary area of expertise. You should be able to participate constructively in technical reviews and communicate proposals clearly.

We also value initiative, accountability, and a collaborative approach. You take ownership of assigned work, ask questions when needed, share knowledge, and recognize the contributions of teammates. Familiarity with the Los Angeles market and local technology landscape is expected.

Responsibilities

Develop, maintain, and improve application features and services, with a focus on quality, maintainability, and dependable delivery. Investigate production and development issues by reviewing code, logs, stack traces, and relevant system behavior, then identify root causes and recommend appropriate fixes.

Proactively identify performance bottlenecks and architectural risks. Evaluate existing implementation patterns, including GraphQL approaches, and suggest cleaner or more sustainable alternatives where appropriate. Sketch and communicate proposed service architectures, explain design decisions during reviews, and contribute to implementation through testing and deployment.

Collaborate with engineers and cross-functional partners, including colleagues working with Flask, Kotlin, and other technologies. Take on new responsibilities as project needs evolve, provide thoughtful feedback, and support a team culture built on shared learning. Track and report key performance metrics for technology services, using clear updates to help the team understand results and emerging concerns.

Benefits

The position offers an annual salary range of $142,000 to $208,000, along with opportunities for mentorship, meaningful technology ownership, and professional development. Cloud First Inc. provides real project work early in your employment and encourages team members to build expertise through practical experience. The company also offers benefits and flexibility for its Los Angeles, California team. Specific benefit details and work arrangements can be discussed during the interview process.

Equal Opportunity

Cloud First Inc. is committed to providing equal employment opportunities. Employment decisions are made without discrimination on the basis of any status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We welcome applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences who are interested in contributing to a collaborative technology team.